Welcome to a special “Training Thursday” post!  

As regular readers know, these posts typically highlight yoga trainings that have been completed by folks who are already teachers at 4yoga. In contrast, this post shares the exciting news that a longtime student has completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training and is preparing to begin teaching yoga!

From late July until mid-December 2023, Uta Ziegler progressed through the 200-hour program at Steadfast & True Yoga School in Nashville, Tennessee.  This almost entirely in-person program featured primary teachers Gillian St. Clair and Mary Beth Harding. (For more about Gillian, scroll down on this page.)

Uta has been an engaged member of the local yoga community since she completed a 4-week beginner’s yoga series with Debbie Marquette about 15 years ago, and we are excited to support her in her new role as a yoga teacher.  She especially appreciates those of you who attended the practice classes she organized and held at the 4yoga studio and provided her with feedback as she continued to develop her teaching skills.  

When asked what she learned from her yoga teacher training, Uta noted:

My yoga teachers are all amazing!  I never realized how much they mentally juggle when teaching a class: the cues, watching the students, adapting to the students in class, linking experiences, repeating stuff on both sides, adding a bit of dharma, making sure it’s a well-rounded practice, leaving enough time for savasana. Oh, and being done on time. 

The importance and power of invitational language – coupled with trying to make yoga accessible (e.g. with variations) to students who show up for a class. 

In considering what yoga means to her, Uta stated:

Yoga for me means my breath, my body, my mind on the mat practicing together. Even though I’m still working on the “together” part (and will be for a long time), lessons learned on the mat such as patience, acceptance, honesty (to myself), listening, and compassion positively affect my off-mat life.

We are happy to welcome Uta as she begins teaching yoga!  In January, she will guest teach two Basics classes, so mark your calendar for Tues., Jan. 16, at 9 a.m. and Sun., Jan. 28, at 4 p.m.  

Please join Uta for a class in the new year—and, the next time you see her, congratulate her on the substantial accomplishment of completing a 200-hour yoga teacher training!